Asphodelus albus

Asphodelus albus, commonly known as White Asphodel or Rimmed Lichen, is probably the easiest to grow of all asphodels, because this plant of mountainous and Mediterranean origin has exceptional adaptation abilities that allow it to grow in quite high altitudes. This vigorous perennial is elegant in spring, with its tall spikes of tightly packed white, translucent, star-shaped flowers with long stamens. Its tall silhouette fades away in late summer, only to reappear in spring as a clump of long, narrow, leathery basal leaves, green-blue in colour. It is a long-lived plant that forms impressive clumps over time, perfectly suited for a white, wild, or water-saving garden.

White Asphodel is the most widespread species in the genus Asphodelus, which includes about 12 species of perennials and annuals grouped in the family Asphodelaceae (lilies). This botanical species is a deciduous perennial with tuberous roots, native to rather mountainous areas of southern Europe and North Africa where it can withstand very low temperatures, below -15 °C (5 °F).

The plant emerges from the ground in spring, with long, narrow, gutter-shaped leaves of a shiny green colour, gathered in a 40 cm (16 in) tall basal clump. Flowering takes place from May to July, depending on the climate. A very tall, thick, usually unbranched stem slowly emerges from the heart of the rosette, initially in the form of a large brown bud. As it elongates, this bud becomes adorned with black and white streaks, reaching a height of 80 cm (32 in) to 1.5 m (5 ft). At this stage, the leaves spread out on the ground in a 30 cm (12 in) radius and take on a darker, bluish hue. The inflorescence is a very dense terminal spike. The small flowers are 4 cm (2 in) wide stars with 6 white petals adorned with a brown median line and long stamens crowned with dark orange anthers. The flowering starts at the base of the spike and continues for almost a month up to the tip of the stem, with the lower flowers fading as the others bloom. It should be noted that asphodels generally flower every two years. The remarkably honey-producing flowers are followed by the production of a large quantity of round, brown fruits filled with round, flat seeds that germinate easily. This plant does not appreciate its fleshy tubers being disturbed.

White Asphodel is truly wonderful to observe in nature, where it forms a meadow from which large "candles" light up like white lighthouses in a desolate landscape that is sometimes steppe-like, and often chaotic and dotted with rocks. This is often enough to convince plant enthusiasts looking for something a bit more exotic to adopt in their gardens, which is not difficult. On a large limestone slope, it will accompany all dry-land plants: lavender, rosemary, Euphorbia characias, cistus, Perovskia, evergreen ceanothus, valerian,and many others. Its excellent hardiness allows it to be adopted in colder, even mountainous climates, along with fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), large-flowered brunelle, and monkshood, in cooler, rather acidic soil.

Asphodels have long been associated with death. An ancient custom was to place bouquets of asphodels on the graves of the deceased. The origin of this custom can be traced back to Greek mythology: a region of the underworld was called 'the meadow of asphodels' or 'the plain of asphodels', and it was this place that welcomed the ghostly souls of the deceased.

The stem of the asphodel, which dries up in summer, has remarkable mechanical qualities. It was formerly used in certain regions for weaving small baskets and even for making scale models of aeroplanes, as the rigid stem – which is covered with long woody fibres and encloses a pithy core – provided both strength and lightness.